Protective apparatus for electric circuits.



E. W. VOGEL.

Pnoecnvf. APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC cmculs.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l. 1914.

` Patentad Jan. 2, 1917.

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E. W. VOGEL.

PROTECTIVE PFARATUS FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I, I9I4.

1,210,568. y y Patented Jan. 2,1917.

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STATES PATENT OFFICE.;

EUGENEW. VOGEL,v or OAK'PABK, ILLINOIS, ,AssICNOR To CHICAGO RAILWAY SIGNAL AND sUIrLYy COMPANYfOI,` 'CARPENTEBSVILLE ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

To all whom/,it may concern:

yBe it known that 1I, EUGENE W. VOGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at'Oak Park,in the county of Cook andy State Oi' Illinois, have inventedv certain. new vand useful .Improvements in ProtectivewApparatus :for Electric Circuits, of which .the following is a specication. y n f c My invention relates to apparatus for protecting an electric circuit against 7thepdestructive eifect of highpotential charges.v y l One oftheprimaryfobjects of the invenfv tion is to provide certainnovel devices, constructions and combinations of devices 'for effectively protecting `an electric circuit both from static charges, due v to lightning, which `may be of extremely high potential but of relatively short duration, and charges due to.

crosseskk with power circuits the potentials of which are likely to be much lower than that of a static charge butkwhich may be equally destructive in theiry eifectsbecause oftheir greater duration'.-

The inventionhas for yurtherobjects to y provide protective apparatus forelectric circuits which will be inexpensive to manufac- `ture,reliable in its o eration, susceptible of being easily repaire when necessary, and compact so that it may be conveniently em ployed infra signal box Or in similar situations. A

i The invention is illustrated, in certain preferred embodiments,`in the accompanying`drawings whereinigure "1 17s aview, in front elevation, of a lightning arrester constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention; Fig. `2, a sectional view takenou line 2 2 ofFig. 1; Fig. 3, a view similar toFig. lwith the lightning arrester unit removed so as to show the construction andy arrangement of the ,parts constituting the air gap device for grounding anfoverch'arge of relatively long duration; Figs. v4v and 5, views, iny perspective, of f the devices constituting terminal clips Vfor the' lightningarrestery unitk and electrodes for thefair gaparrester; Fig. 6, a view, inf-perspective, of one of thebinding post terminal plates Fig. 7 a similar view of a porous, refractory, rnon-conducting sepn Specification of Letters Patent. h Appuunied May 1, 1914.: serial No. 835,666.

ya wire', 35. Another bindin j ritoTECTIVE APPARATUS ron ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

1 Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

tuin which is' arranged 'between the. electrodes of the air gap arrester; Figs. 8 and 9, views, taken, at right angles to each other, of a yvacuum lightning arrester unit which 'may `be Yused in substitution for the unit shown in Figs.v l and 2; Fig. l0, a. sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 8, and Fig.

11, a view, inr perspective, of one of the connecting strips used for connecting the electrodes or terminals with their leading-in wires in the device shown in the preceding three figures. Like rcharacters of reference designate like parts in the several figures of the drawmgsj Referring first to Figs. l yto 7 inclusive, 25 designates abase of porcelain or other suitable insulating material formed with screwholes 26 for attachmentto a signal -bo'XOr switchboard, and withthree recesses 27, 28 and 29, they central recess 29 being separated from the end recessesrk 27 and 28, except for'small gaps 30, by integral partitions 31. 32,'designates a bindingpost to which the line Wire 33 is connected, and 34 a binding post connected to the groundl by vpost 36 is rovided yat the upper end of t ebasewhic is vconnected vwith the binding post 32 by a wire 37 and may be usedy for the line wire, if more convenient, lin place of the binding post 32. The'binding posts 34 and 36 are arranged in the recesses 27, 28, respectively.

In they same recesses are two terminal clips 38 `(Fig.` 5).4 and 39 (Fig. 4) each formed fivith ay plate 40, which plates are clamped to the base by means of metal blocks 4l on'the binding posts 34, 36. The .blocksare held in position bynuts 42 on the binding posts. The, clipsareadapted to support ya lightning arrester unit, that is, a 'protecting device, which functions to ground an overcharge of extremely high potential and short" duration such asis produced. by lightning. d Two types of unit are shown in .thedrawings either of which can be used in this connection. One type isy `shown in Figs. `l and 2. They other type isshown-,in Figs. 8 to 411 y inclusive. LIt is well known that arresters caprotect a circuit from the destructive effects of static charges due to lightning are ordinarily not capable of long withstanding the effects of a continued current of high potential such as may result from a cross with a high power circuit, for example, a tro-lley wire. In order to give protection against disturbances of this latter sort I provide an air gap arrester of the horn or arc extinguishing type in parallel with the lightning arrester unit. The air gap arrester is preferably constituted as follows: rIhe terminal clips 38, 39 are formed with projecting strips 43, lil which extend into the middle recess 29 of the base, the extremity of the strip or electrode 4f being in close proximity to the inner end of the electrode 43, the electrodes diverging upwardly from this point. rfhe divergent relationship between the elec,- trodes causes the arc between the electrodes to be extinguished in accordance with the familiar principle of arresters of the horn type. In order to prevent the electrodes from-being welded together at the narrowest place of the air gap, a porous septum @t5 made of some nonconducting highly refractory material such as lava, unglazed porcelain, or the like is interposed between the electrodes at this point. The porosity of the septum allows a static charge to pass therethrough from one electrode to the other while preventing the possibility of a short circuit due to the welding of the elec- 'trodes or other bridging of the air gap which is likely to occur with lightning arresters of the air gap type because of the narrowness of the gap. This element is preferably formed on its sides with tapered cuts or channels 46 in which the electrodes 43, el are received. In this manner the septum is held in position between the electrodes, which have a certain amount of elasticity and the gap between the electrodes at its narrowest point may be made as small as desired without having the septum itself so fragile that it would be likely to break with handling or vibration.

The lightning arrester unit shown in Figs. l and 2, that is, the device intended to take care of static charges of momentary duration, consists of a tube 47 of Vnon-conducting material such as liber, filled with a body IS of carborundum in granular form, and

closed at opposite ends by metal caps i9 preferably provided with spikes 50 which project into the carborundum vin the tube so as to provide electrodes or terminals for this type of lightning arrester. I am aware of the fact 'that carborundum has been used in the form of solid blocks in the construction of lightning arresters. Then employed in this form a single lightning discharge, or at most a few discharges, so increases the conductivity of the material `that it will ground the normal service current. I have found that if a body of granular carborundum be used between the electrodes or terminals of a lightning arrester a static charge of high potential will be readily grounded through the arrester, and the normal service current will be prevented from passing therethrough; and while the conductivity of the carborundum is to a certain extent increased by repeated discharges the cell may be restored to its original condition by occasionally tapping or shaking it 4enough to destroy the cohesion between the granular particles.

The vacuum lightning arrester unit shown in Figs. S to l1 inclusive consists preferably of an evacuated tube 51 provided at opposite ends with caps 52 and electrodes or terminals 58 having their adjacent edges serrated which are secured together and held in proper relation with each other by mica strips 54E bound to either side of these members by bolts 55. The electrodes or terminals are suspended in the tube by means of connecting strips 56 having loops 57 engaging loops 5S formed in the ends of the leadingin wires 59 which are sealed through the glass wall of the tube and connected with the4 caps 52. The mica strips 54C serve to protect the glass wall of the vessel from the effects of the discharges between the electrodesor terminals besides accurately positioning these members with respect to each other.

While I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments, modifications might be devised without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting the invention to the particular constructions, arrangements and devices shown and described except so far as isrequired by the express language of certain of the claims herein.

I claim:

l. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a pair of electrodes, one connected with the line to be protected, and the other of which is grounded, of a porous septum of non-conducting, refractory material arranged between said electrodes. for the purpose described.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a pair of electrodes, one connected with the line to be protected, and the other of which is grounded, of a porous septum of non-conducting, refractory material arranged between said elec trodes, said electrodes diverging from the point of separation by the septum so as to extinguish the are between said electrodes.

In apparatus of the characterdescribed, the combination with a pair of diverging electrodes, one connected with the line `to be protected and the 'other' grounded, of af porous septum of non-conducting, refrac-y tory material arranged between said electrodes and formed with channels on opposite sides in which said electrodes are received.

Ll. In apparatus of the character described,

I the combination with a pair of electrodes,

one connected with the line to be protected and the other grounded, said electrodes spaced apart in fixed relation to form an air gap between them, of a lightning arrester unit, comprising terminals, one of which is grounded and one of which is connected to said line wire, providing a gap, the resistance of which to a static charge of high potential and short duration is less than the resistance of the aforesaid air gap.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a pair of electrodes, one of which is connected with the line to be protected, and the other grounded, said electrodes arranged with an air gap between them, of a porous septum of nonconducting, refractory material arranged in said air gap, and a lightning arrester unit, one terminal of which is connected with said line wire and the othergrounded, providing a gap, the resistance of which to a static charge of high potential and short duration is less than the resistance of the aforesaid air gap.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a pair of electrodes, one connected with the line to be protected and the other grounded, said electrodes arranged in diverging relationship with an air gap between them, of a porous septum of non-conducting, refractory material arranged in said air gap, and a lightning arrester unit, one terminal of which is connected with said line wire and the other grounded, providing a gap, the resistance of which to a static charge of high potential and short duration is less than the resistance of the aforesaid air gap. n

7. In apparatus of the character described,

the combination with a base of refractory,

non-conducting material, of a pair of terminal clips on said base, a lightning arrester unit removably mounted in said terminals, each of said terminals being provided with a projecting element, which elements are spaced apart in fixed relation and together constitute an air gap 'arrester in parallel with said unit, and a porous septum of nonconducting, refractory material arranged between said electrodes.

8. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a base of refractory, non-conducting material, of a pair of terminal clips on said base, a lightning arrester unit removablymounted in said terminals, each of said terminals being provided with a projecting' element, whichelements are spaced apart inv fixed divergent relationship with each other so as to form an arc extinguishing air gap, and a porous septum of non-conducting, refractory material arranged in said air gap. f

9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a base of refractory,

Vnon-conducting material formed with a recess, of a pair of terminal clips on said base,

and a lightning arrester unit removably mounted in said terminals, each terminal being provided with an electrode which pros jects into said recess: said electrodes being arranged in divergent relationship with each other so as to form an arc extinguishing air gap.

10. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a base of re fractory, non-conducting material, of a pair of terminal clips on said base, a lightning arrester unit removably mounted in said terminals, each of said terminals being provided with a projecting element, which elements together constitute an air gap arrester in ,parallel with saidunit, said base being formed with insulating partitions extending between each terminal clip and the projecting element of the other clip.

11. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a base of nonconducting, refractory material formed with three recesses in line with each other, of a pair of terminal clips one in each outer recess, vand a lightning arrester unit arranged in said clips, said clips being provided with electrodes which project into the other recess so as to provide an air gap arrester in parallel with said unit.

12. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a base of nonconducting, refractory material formed with three recesses in line with cach other, of a pair of terminal clips one in each outer recess, and a lightning arrester unit arranged in said clips, said clips being provided with electrodes which project into the other recess in divergent relationship with each other so as to provide an arc extinguishing air gap arrester in parallel with said unit.

13. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a base of nonconducting, refractory material formed with three recesses in line with each other, of a pair of terminal clips one in each outer recess, a lightning arrester unit arranged in said clips, said clips being provided with electrodes which project into the other recess in divergent relationship with each other so as to provide an arc extinguishing air gap arrester in parallel with said unit, and a porous septum of refractory, nonconducting material arranged between said electrodes.

14. A lightning arrester unit consisting having loops engaging respectively said of an evlacluatecl vessel having leading-in leading-in Wires. Wires sea ec through opposite ends thereof, a pair of electrodes in said vessel, a pair of EUGENE W' VOGEL' mica strips secured to opposite sides of said fitnessesz electrodes, and metal connecting strips con- L. A. FALKENBERG, neeted with said electrodes respectively and G. Y. SKINNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of lPatents,

Washington, D. C. 

